15-Year vs 30-Year Mortgage: Monthly Payment, Total Interest, and How to Choose
15-Year vs 30-Year Mortgage: Monthly Payment, Total Interest, and How to Choose By Ahmad Dogar FitCreeper Finance · Published October 2026 · Educational only — not personalized financial, legal, or tax advice How this article was made: Drafted with AI assistance, then checked line by line against the primary sources listed at the end of this page (the CFPB's Buying a House and Shopping for a Mortgage guides and its Ask CFPB answers on amortization, monthly payments, prepayment penalties, affordability, Qualified Mortgages, and escrow; plus Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey), fetched on October 12, 2026. Worked examples use simple illustrative numbers, not real accounts. Rules and company policies change, so re-check the linked sources before you act. Table of contents How the two terms differ What rates look like now Monthly payment compared Total interest compared Equity and the five-year view Middle paths: extra payments on a 30-year Which term fits y...